


Washed Away

by DaronwyK



Series: What if... HP Drabbles & Short Stories [27]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 01:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14391729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaronwyK/pseuds/DaronwyK
Summary: Hogwarts is his home, but he can't stay there over the summers.





	Washed Away

**Author's Note:**

> One-Shot examining Tom's thoughts as he returns to London after his first year at Hogwarts. 
> 
> While the London Blitz did not begin officially until 1940, preparations for air raids began as early as 1937, with mandatory blackouts beginning in 1938.

**o.o.O.o.o**

 

Tom’s eyes tracked the raindrops as they trailed down the windows of the Hogwarts Express. The weather seemed to mirror his mood. The last time he’d been on this train, he had been full of excitement, anticipation, and relief; now, all he felt was emptiness. He was being sent back to the Orphanage, back into the heart of London where the threat of war was looming. No amount of pleading had softened the stance of the Deputy Headmaster, who’d offered only platitudes that he was sure he’d be perfectly safe, and it was only for a couple of months. And as Professor Slughorn had reminded him, housing decisions were handled strictly by the Deputy Headmaster, and there was no way to appeal his decision.

 

Tom had ruthlessly strangled his anger at the man, and told Slughorn that he understood. Even before he’d departed for Hogwarts, there were mandatory blackouts in the city at night and air raid drills every week at the orphanage. There had even been talk about evacuating the children to the countryside, and now that Tom knew about Hogwarts, he lived in fear that he’d be one of those sent away and prevented from going back to school next year.

 

He’d purposefully chosen an empty car, and his stormy glare had sent everyone else walking past. Only the repetitive clanking of the wheels on the tracks and beat of the rain on the window, kept him company on what felt like his journey back to serve a prison sentence. He knew exactly what was waiting for him back at Wool’s. There were no House Elves to clean the floors and make the beds, no plates of good food overflowing with sumptuous sweets. There was only the hope of safely returning to his real home in September to keep him from drowning in the darkness he could literally feel wrapping around him.

 

The rain soaked countryside passed by, a landscape painted in deep greens and browns. Slowly, towns started dotting the picture, but the rain continued, growing heavier as they drew closer to London. He knew it would be a downpour there, and he wasn’t even certain that there would be anyone there to pick him up. He frowned deeply, furious at the entire situation. Stupid Dumbledore, sending him back to the hell he’d found him in. He’d SEEN the wretched place, and he would have needed to be utterly blind to miss the nasty bruises on his legs. How could he send him back? He drove his hand into the wall of the compartment, trying to vent some of his anger.

 

No. Control. He sucked in a deep breath and focused on the steady sound of the rain, using it to send all that anger and frustration down deep into the well where it lived. When he lost control his magic did…regrettable things, things that no one here could know about. A dark smile crossed his lips, thinking about that bastard Dennis Bishop and sweet little Amy Benson. They knew all about the _regrettable_ things that happened when he lost his temper. That day at the seaside he’d been pushed too far, and he’d let the leash on his ‘special talent’ slip. Neither one of those two could even meet his eyes anymore.

 

By the time the train had pulled into King’s Cross, the rain was indeed falling in sheets. He started reluctantly disembarking with the other students, one of the Prefects helping him lift the trunk onto a trolley. He passed through the barrier, and into the main station. Keeping his head down, he headed for the entrance and saw one of the more severe Matrons waiting there for him.

 

“Back then are you, hurry along Riddle.” The woman frowned at him, placing a hand on his shoulder and gripping it extremely tightly. They headed out into the pounding rain and headed for the orphanage’s car. The Matron had an umbrella, but Tom was left to the mercies of the storm. He was soaked through by the time he’d managed to get his school trunk into the boot, and been clipped twice around the head for taking too long .

 

He sat quietly in the back seat, his charming and engaging Hogwarts persona washed away in the furious summer rainstorm. In its absence, a colder and harder Tom Riddle was left sitting quietly in the back seat of the car. One day he wouldn’t be at the mercy of others. One day the world would be at _his_ mercy, and he’d make everyone pay dearly for all he’d suffered.

 

~fin~  


End file.
